2017 ELECTRIC IRELAND GAA MINOR STAR FOOTBALL TEAM OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED

By Love Belfast

September 26, 2017

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Sponsor of the GAA All-Ireland Minor Championships, Electric Ireland is delighted to announce the GAA Minor Star Awards Football Team of the Year for 2017. The Electric Ireland Minor Star Football Team of the Year will be formally recognised at the inaugural GAA Minor Star Awards that will take place in Croke Park on October 7^th.

The Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Football Team of the Year features players from Kerry, Derry, Dublin and Cavan, the four semi-finalists from this year’s Championship. The team was selected by a panel of GAA greats from nominees that included the Electric Ireland Man of the Match and Player of the Week winners throughout the season.

The Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Football Team of the Year is:

Deividas Uosis (Kerry, Dingle)
Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne (Dublin, Cuala)
Conor McCluskey (Derry, Magherafelt)
Cian Gammell (Kerry, Killarney Legion)
Michael Potts (Kerry, Dr Crokes)
Padraig McGrogan (Derry, Newbridge)
Niall Donohue (Kerry, Firies)
Barry Mahony (Kerry, St.Senan’s)
Oisin McWilliams (Derry, Swatragh)
Ross McGarry (Dublin, Ballyboden St Enda’s)
David Clifford (Kerry, Fossa)
Donal O’Sullivan (Kerry, Kilgarvan)
Oisin Pierson (Cavan, Gowna)
Lorcan McWilliams (Derry, Swatragh)
Fiachra Clifford (Kerry, Laune Rangers)

The four-man awards selection panel which was unveiled back in March, consisted of Meath Senior football manager Andy McEntee, legendary former Cork hurler and current Clare hurling selector, Dónal Óg Cusack; former Armagh All Star footballer, Oisín McConville and former Galway hurler and AIB All Ireland Club hurling championship winning manager, Mattie Kenny.

The inaugural awards emphasise that there is ‘nothing minor about playing Minor’ and so honour the best individual performers from the entire season, also recognising the crucial and admirable part played by the families, clubs and communities of players which allowed them to get to this point in their sporting career.

Oisin McConville, Electric Ireland Minor Star Awards Judge; ‘These awards are a major event for young players and will stand as a landmark in their playing careers. It is a real honour to be named on the Team of the Year, not just for the player themselves but also for their families, counties, schools and clubs who have played a crucial part in these young players careers to date. It is just incredible to see such dedication in such young athletes but it really is a testament to them and they should be celebrated and that is what these awards are all about.’

Aogán Ó Fearghail, President, GAA, said; “This has been an outstanding Electric Ireland GAA Minor Football Championship season with some superb moments that will live long in the memory. These 15 players have made a huge contribution to the enjoyment of the 2017 Minor football season and they fully deserve the recognition for an excellent year. They will be first to acknowledge the roles that their friends, families, clubs and communities played in their support and development and no doubt this will be a huge honour, not only for the player but for everyone connected to them and hopefully it will inspire them and their team mates to go on to great things in the GAA.”

Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Electric Ireland, said; “Electric Ireland is delighted to have been a part of this year’s Minor Championship. These 15 players have provided some amazing football this year and we are delighted to be able to honour them and all those who support them at this year’s inaugural Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Awards. I’ve no doubt these players will be stars of the future. We hope this will also inspire Minor Star Award winners of the future as we continue to support the Championships in the coming years.”

Having been sponsor of the GAA All-Ireland Minor Championships since 2012, Electric Ireland has committed to continuing the partnership until 2021. Throughout the course of the partnership, Electric Ireland has been re-defining what it means to be a Minor in GAA with the This Is Major campaign, designed to empower young players, ensuring they feel driven to compete, improve and to strive for more in their sporting lives.

In advance of the GAA Minor Star Awards we spoke to former Armagh All Star footballer and GAA Minor Star Awards judge, Oisin McConville, about the Ulster Minor footballers that have been selected on the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Football Team of the Year.

“At full-back Conor McCluskey was one of the outstanding defenders of this year’s championship. Though the final proved one step too far against a highly fancied Kerry team, McCluskey anchored a defence that conceded only two goals in their run to the All-Ireland final and was as sticky and difficult to mark as anyone else we saw. Though strong in the tackle it was McCluskey’s reading of the game and where the ball would travel that was the standout feature in much of his play. Derry would not have won Ulster without him.”

“The centre-half back was an easy decision for the panel. Padraig McGrogan has been in scintillating form all year and captained his Derry team through numerous close shaves. His running is direct and powerful – often exactly what was needed when the Derry team were struggling to get the ball out of their defence. In addition, his constant communication proved vital in some of their high-pressure situations – particularly against a sometimes-rampant Sligo in the All-Ireland Minor Quarter Final. His Man of the Match performance in the Ulster Minor Final as well as his All-Ireland Minor Quarter Final display simply couldn’t be ignored when it came to the GAA Minor Star Awards.”

“Midfield was an incredibly tight one to call for many reasons but the panel finally couldn’t get Oisin McWilliam’s displays from our thoughts. McWilliams was dominant in Ulster and didn’t shy away when it came to the biggest stage. Against Dublin in the Minor Semi-Final his winning, not only of primary possession but break ball as well, was the trait that set him apart from his contemporaries. Probably as much at home in half-back as midfield McWilliams’ engine and work rate powered Derry to the Electric Ireland GAA Football All-Ireland Minor Final and he was a rightful selection.”

“Being Cavan’s only representative is a huge acknowledgement as to how impressive Oisin Pierson has been over the course of this year’s Minor Championship and he rightly takes his place at right-full forward. Having lost in the Ulster Minor Football Final the Cavan team went in as underdogs against Connaught Minor champions Galway. But securing 1-3 for himself and assisting a further 0-3 Pierson certainly did his share to drag his team over the line. Pierson found the net again in the semi-final against Kerry and it was obvious to us there watching that the Gowna clubman is one to watch for the future.”

“The final Ulster player selected on the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Football Team of the Year, was Lorcan McWilliams at full-forward. Having scored 3 points in Derry’s opener against Tyrone McWilliams has become a staple selection for his management. His dominating display against Dublin in the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Semi-Final saw him awarded Electric Ireland Man of the Match and it was a fitting reward for how he has led the Derry attack all year. McWilliams, capable of kicking from both feet and incredibly intelligent on the ball is someone who will likely make the transition out of Minor with ease and impressed me personally throughout the Minor Championship.”

The Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Awards take place on October 7th in Croke Park where the Player of the Year presentation will also take place. The inaugural awards emphasise that there is ‘nothing minor about playing Minor’ and so honour the best individual performers from the entire season, also recognising the crucial and admirable part played by the families, clubs and communities of players which allowed them to get to this point in their sporting career.

@ElectricIreland

#GAAThisIsMajor